Talavera de la Reina > La Covatilla

02/09/2018 - Stage 9 - 200,8 km - Mountain

Host Cities

Talavera de la Reina

The last time that Talavera de la Reina hosted a La Vuelta stage was in 2011, with a departure that then led the peloton towards San Lorenzo del Escorial. This stage was eventually won by Joaquim ‘Purito' Rodríguez, who wore La Roja. Its privileged location, next to the Tajo River, has made this city a settlement for various cultures going back to prehistoric times: the Roman Empire, the Muslims and the Catholics have all had Talavera as a place of reference for its geographical location and its access to water.

La Covatilla

Santi Blanco, Félix Cárdenas, Danilo di Lucca and Dan Martin are some of the riders who have added Alto de la Covatilla to their list of achievements over the past 15 years. This special category climb will be tackled for the fifth time during La Vuelta. The peloton will have to cross the ever-challenging Béjar Mountain Range, the birthplace of such riders as Lale Cubino, Roberto Heras and even Santi Blanco, himself.